Releasable electrical connectors include internal contacts which are engaged on mating of the connector parts to interconnect cable wires in a desired manner. Although the connector metal shell parts typically shield the contacts from external electromagnetic interference when the connector is mated, it is essential in many situations that the contacts within a connector part shell be shielded from electromagnetic interference when the connector part is unmated. One type of electrical contact commonly referred to as a "butt" contact establishes electrical connection by surface contacting between the contact parts without trapping or locking contact parts together. A well-known example of butt contacts includes a springlike member in the form of a bellows which can be displaced both axially and transversely by movements of a male contact in pressure exerting relationship therewith.
In a copending application Ser. No. 889,943, filed July 28, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,044, "BUTT CONTACTS FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR" by E. Burns, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, a butt contact for cooperating with a male pin contact includes a metal shell end part that is telescopically received on a metal shaft with spring means providing resilient movement of the shell thereon. When the connector parts are mated, the male contact pin is received within a concavity at the end of the shell compressing the spring means to establish the desired electrical connection. The pin end can be released from the shell of the second contact by either axial or transverse relative movement. In an alternate contact version of the copending application, a flange on the movable shell of the one contact is held in flush contacting relation to the edges of a hole in a grid plate when the connector parts are unmated serving to provide an electromagnetic shield against external interfering fields. In this second version, mating of the connector parts automatically breaks the grid plate short-circuit while establishing electrical connection between the two contacts.